Can't Be Friends
by carolinebenson
Summary: Carly and Jason unexpectedly make love for the first time in ages, but now what next. Can they make it work as more than friends? Jarly
1. Chapter 1

Carly lay in bed watching Jason sleep. She had watched him all night. Last night had been the most amazing night. All her dreams had come true. Jason and her had made love for the first time in ages. It happened even better than she could have imagined. She had been hurting from her break up with Jax. Two weeks ago she had demanded Jax make a choice between her and Brenda and to her shock and dismay he chose Brenda. He chose that bubble headed model over her. It had hurt. She had spent several nights crying on Jason's shoulder but she was getting over it. She had her boys, the hotel and of course her best friend, Jason. She had poured herself into her work. It was hard since Jax refused to sell his half, but she managed to be professional and keep her composure. She managed not to let the hurt show and not to lash out in revenge. She was better than that. She was so caught up in her own turmoil she did not even notice Jason was going through problems of his own. She didn't realize until he had shown up on her doorstep last night.

"Hey' He said when she opened the door. He looked like a man with the world on his shoulders. Carly noticed.

"Hey, yourself. What's wrong?" She asked.

"Nothing" He paused, "Everything."

Carly moved out of Jason's way so he could come in out of the cold. She closed the door behind him and motioned him into the living room. She didn't say a word. She was waiting for Jason to tell her what brought him to her doorstep at this hour of the night. "Sam's lost her mind." Jason said as he paced the floor. Carly looked puzzled. Sam has always been out of her mind, the part that was amazing was no one but her seemed to notice. "Jase, stop pacing. Sit down and tell me what happened." She sat on the love seat and patted next to her for Jason to site. He immediately complied and continued with the story. "Sam says I'm obsessed with…" He paused. "with you. She says ever since you and Jax split all I do is talk about you and making sure you are okay. All I do is spend my free time with you and that I'm neglecting her. I tried to explain I've been being a concerned friend, but she sees it differently. She said it's always been you and she is sick and tired of playing second fiddle." Carly tried to look concerned but it was hard Sam was her least favorite person and she definitely did not like her with Jason. So it was hard to be unbias when it came to their relationship. She respected the fact that Jason wanted to be with the little tramp and tried to avoid her at all cost. It seemed to be working. At least she thought it had. She had no idea her friendship with Jason was causing this type of friction in his relationship. Jason continued. "She told me to choose. Choose between you and her. Can you believe that?" Carly wanted to nod profusely as she could believe Sam would be naïve enough to think Jason would choose her. But instead she just placed a hand on his leg. She was going to be the bigger person here. "Jase, I'm sorry. I guess I leaned on you a little too much after my breakup with Jax. I didn't mean to… that's when it happened. That's when he reached across and pulled her into the most passionate, seductive kiss she had ever experienced. Her body sizzled as he kissed her and then his hand ran up the inside of the back of her shirt and her body went a blaze. Everything after that happened so quickly yet she could remember every touch, every kiss every inch of him inside of her. Now she laid in the bed next to him watching him sleep wondering what the hell happened and just what did it all mean?

Jason laid pretending to be sleep. She had been watching him for several hours and he didn't know what to do. Last night had been. Well it had been everything he had ever thought it would be and more. He had no idea what had come over him. Sleeping with Carly was not his intention for coming over. He needed someone to talk to and as usual that someone was her, but this time there was something different. Maybe Sam's words were resonating with him. "You've always loved her more than me or any other woman. It will always be her. You just won't admit it to yourself." Maybe she was right, but the moment Carly went to apologize for needing him he felt something snap inside. He felt a deep hunger for her build up and he wasn't going to deny it. Not this time. He was going to feed it and he had. He had kissed and caressed her in every way possible. He made love to her so passionately he was trying to make up for all the years he had deprived himself of her. Her body fit perfectly with his. They were magic together and the world stood still for a few hours. Now he was trying to figure out where this put them now. Damn, he knew Carly and she would want them to be together and he wasn't sure if he and Carly could make a go of it. He knew her too well and he was afraid they would crash and burn and then where would that leave them, but on the other hand he after last night he could deny his feelings for her anymore. He couldn't just be her friend.


	2. Chapter 2

Carly laid a hand on Jason's bear shoulder. He was real. He felt real. Ok so this wasn't a fantasy. It was reality. Jason moved under her touch and he turned towards her. "Good Morning" He said. "I didn't mean to wake you." Carly replied. Jason took a finger and traced her jaw line. "You didn't wake me. " There was a long silence and then Jason finally said, "I owe you an apology." Carly went ridged. She knew what was coming next. Everything that had happened would be chalked up to a mistake and something that could never happen again. "I should have never…"

Carly didn't let him finish. She jumped out the bed and put on her robe. "It's okay. You don't have to apologize. I know last night was just two hurt friends comforting each other. You don't have to worry about me. I get it. We both needed to feel needed. You don't have to worry about me getting all emotional attached. I understand it for what it was."

Jason watched as Carly rambled on as she got dress. Was that all last night had meant to her. Did she not see that last night meant so much more to him? He wanted her. He really wanted her and she was acting like they were best buds with French benefits. "That's not what I was going to say." He told her. But Carly was still going on about how their relationship would not change because of this one night. How could it not, he thought. Everything had changed. Everything was different.

Carly had no idea what she was saying all she knew was Jason was about to apologize for making love to her and she needed to be the first to make it seem like it was no big deal. He was about to tell her he had made a mistake and she would not be able to stomach those words out his mouth so she kept rambling on trying to get dress as fast as she could so she could leave. Morning had come and with it was the realization that Jason regretted their night together. Well she wasn't going to let one amazing night ruin ten plus years of friendship. She was going to make it ok for both her and Jason. "So you don't have to apologize because there is nothing to apologize for. What happened, happened and we both know it won't be happening again." She finished putting on her shoes. "I have to pick up the kids from Jax. Lock up when you leave." And just like that she was gone.

Jason was flabbergasted. Carly had taken what happened between them last night and trivialized it. He had wanted to apologize to her for not telling her his feelings first before making love to her. He had wanted to tell her that he loved her, was in love with her and had always been so. He wanted her to know that he wanted them to work. Wanted there to be a them. But she didn't want any of it. She wanted to go on like last night never happened. She wanted to pretend that he had not bared his soul to her last night in their love making. Jason got up and quickly got dressed. What was he to do now? He could not be just her friend.

Carly found herself crying all the way to Metro Court. She had finally gotten the man she dreamed of and he regretted ever second of it. How dirty she felt. She had given him her body and soul and he…well he was just needing her comfort. She couldn't believe how stupid she had been. While Jason had laid there sleep she had watched him and dreamed of a life with him. She had dreamed of coming home to him every day and waking to him every morning. She had pictured children. She saw them growing old together. "Stupid, stupid, stupid" she said to herself. How was she going to now pull this off? See Jason and not want more. Not need more. Being just friends was going to hard.


	3. Chapter 3

Jason avoided Carly for the next few days. He didn't know what to say or how to act if he saw her. So he figured avoidance was the best thing, but it wasn't working. He sat up at night going crazy with thoughts of her. She consumed his thoughts and his dreams. He was trying to hide his distress, but Sonny noticed something was off, but he assumed it was the breakup with Sam that had him wound up so tight. Little did he know it was the non relationship with Carly that was tearing him apart.

Then there was Franco and his obsession with Jason. Franco was sending messages to Jason in the form of art. He was sending Jason paintings and pictures that all reminded Jason of some point in his life. First there was the portrait Franco called "Re-incarnation". It depicted the accident that turned Jason Quatermaine into Jason Morgan. There were many others that followed depicting known incidents in his life. Most of them focused on Jason alone. A few included Sonny and the latest one included Carly and Michael. Depicting the time when they lived together. Jason did not like the fact the pictures now included Carly and Michael. He hoped it was just a depiction if that part of his life and the pictures would move on to other parts of his life, but the next portrait was entitled "Best Friends" and was a portrait of Jason holding Carly at Sonny's make believe funeral. It was almost an exact snapshot. How had he known so much detail? Franco was becoming dangerous. He now was focused on Carly and Jason would not allow that. He had to put a stop to this, but finding Franco was an issue. The man had disappeared. No trace of him anywhere. Spinelli couldn't even find him. He would have to put guards on Carly until he was sure these paintings were not a threat directed at her. That would mean seeing her and he wasn't sure how she would react to seeing him after the way they parted last time.

Carly was in her office day dreaming about the night spent with Jason. She had been doing that a lot lately. He may have broken her heart the next morning, but that night, that night she had felt loved. She had felt passion. She tried to block out the thoughts, but they still found their way back into her head. She closed her eyes and laid her head down on the desk. "Stop it, stop it, stop it." She told herself. She heard the door creep open. "Not now." She said without looking. "I have to talk to you now." Jason replied.

Carly's head shot up and her heart began rapidly beating. He was here. She wasn't sure she'd see him again after the way they had parted. He hadn't tried to call, but neither had she. "I thought we already talked." Carly said. "Defense up." She told herself. "Don't let him in. Not again. Not ever. Just friends."

Jason closed the door behind him as he examined her. She looked tired. He walked over and sat down in the chair in front of the desk. "I need to put a couple of guards on you for a little while." Carly rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Who is after Sonny now? I'm tired of his issues. Every time he pisses someone off I end up with guards." Carly exclaimed.

"It's not Sonny. It's me." Jason told her. Carly's eyebrows shot up and she stood up. "You. Who is it? I swear if anyone harms on hair on your head I'll…" "You'll pull their fingernails off one by one. Relax mama bear I can take care of myself. I just want to make sure he doesn't come after me through you." He told her.

"Not sure why you would think someone would come after me instead of you precious Sam." "Sam and I are over, besides if someone were to take the time to think about it they would realize you are the one constant in my life." Carly almost smiled at that statement, but realized he meant as a friend and the smile disappeared before it could form. She didn't want to be his best bud. She wanted to be his life. She wanted to be his everything.

"Who's the idiot that decided to make an enemy of you?" She asked. "It's Franco." Jason replied. "I thought that was over. He's long gone." Carly stated. "He's gone, but he has been sending me messages letting me know it's not over. The last two messages included you. I'm not going to take any chances. You get guards weather you like it or not."

"Okay, okay, Jase. I understand. But if he's been sending you messages you're in danger. Who is guarding you?" Jason looked confused. "You're not superman. You need to be careful." "I am." Jason replied. "I can take care of myself. I'm more worried about you right now. Appease me and take the guards." "Fine, I'll take them. For now. You know this just gives Jax more ammunition to try and gain custody of Josslyn. The guards need to be as discrete as possible. I can't afford for Jax to get wind of this." She told him.

Jax won't know. I'll use guards he doesn't know and I'll have them blend in as much as possible. I'll have two stay at the hotel as guests and two stationed outside the house. I'd prefer if I could have one inside?"He asked. "Absolutely not." Carly declared. "No guards in the house. Jax would notice that immediately." "Fine, then I'll try to come over more often in the evening to check on you. He won't find that suspicious." "Jase, you know I hate this. I hate guards and the danger, but I trust you so whatever you think is best." Jason reached across the desk and leaned in. Carly's pulse jumped. He was going to kiss her. She saw him move towards her and anticipation lingered through her body, but he leaned in and kissed her forehead as usual. "Thanks for understanding." He said and then stood up and left.


End file.
